Typically in laser printing devices, a scanning polygonal mirror is used for the purpose of scanning a light beam across a latent image storage device such as a photoconductor. High precision scanning devices employing mirrors remain dominant in the field primarily because of problems with other technologies. Resonant torsion oscillators are known, but are not typically employed in devices utilizing optical systems such as laser printing devices. In the case of scanning devices using galvanometric oscillators, the problems include relatively low scan efficiency, relatively high laser modulation frequencies, scan speed instability, scan amplitude instability, and resonant frequency instability associated with environment.
One particular problem in conventional scanning devices is controlling the alignment of vertically adjacent scans. When scan duration in a first direction differs from scan duration in a second direction, image width varies to some degree and the accuracy of a desired image is diminished. Since increasingly higher resolution images are in demand by consumers and various industries, there exists a need for a more accurate bi-directional imaging apparatus and method for ensuring more accurate imaging.